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Tip Sheets
All Tip Sheets
All Tip Sheets are available in English and Spanish (español). Most Tip Sheets are available in Polish (Polski). Selected Tip Sheets are available in Korean (한국어), Chinese (中文 (中国), Arabic (العربية), Russian (Русский) and French (Français). IEL Tip Sheets are easy-to-read, one-page resources on a variety of topics of interest to parents and teachers of young children. You can also search Tip Sheets by Topic.
Graphic Tip Sheets
Graphic Tip Sheets are meant for busy families. Put them on your refrigerator, corkboards, or other common household areas as quick reminders of important activities you can enjoy with your family.
Tip Sheets by Keyword
Tip Sheets by Series
PDF Collections
Order Tip Sheets
Videos & Podcast
Parenting Videos
These videos show some family activities that help infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children learn about the world. For each video we provide some background information, a transcript, and a list of resources about the topic.
Early Learning Moments Videos
The Illinois Early Learning Moments have been developed to assist infant/toddler care providers in implementing the strategies for interaction outlined in the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines for Children Birth to Age Three (IELGs). Each Early Learning Moment includes a video, information about the area being covered, suggestions for creating an environment to support children’s development, and a series of questions to help you assess whether your everyday environment and interactions support the development of the children under your care.
Guidelines Videos
These videos were filmed in various child care settings. For each video, we provide some brief background information, a transcript, and a description of strategies teachers or caregivers used to help children meet standards in the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines for Children Birth to Age 3. Having promised parents and the child care center that the children’s identities would remain anonymous, IEL has dubbed out any mentions of the children’s names in these videos. In the transcript and the introduction to the videos, we have inserted pseudonyms for the children.
Benchmark Videos
These videos were filmed in a variety of settings, including programs at public universities, community colleges, and private homes. For each video, we provide background information, a transcript, and a description of how various 2013 Illinois Early Learning and Development benchmarks are met.
Podcast
Podcasts are a great way to explore early childhood education topics on the go. The Illinois Early Learning Project will continue to add new audio content that can be streamed or downloaded to your device.
Standards & Guidelines
Illinois Early Learning Guidelines for Children Birth to Age 3
IELG Resources
2013 Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards
IELDS Resources
Illinois Learning Standards for Kindergarten
Kindergarten Standards Resources and KIDS Assessment
Blogs
Children with Disabilities and Developmental Delays
Increasingly, children with developmental delays or disabilities attend child care or preschool programs where teachers may have limited information about how to include a child with special needs. Parents who have a child with special needs also may want to know more about adapting family activities to more fully include the child. View more blogs.
Culturally Responsive Practices
An increasing population of children entering child care or preschool who speak a home language other than English. This blog is intended to help parents and teachers support these children as they learn English and their home languages. View more blogs.
Learning and Growing Together
Children grow and develop rapidly in the first five years of life. Every day routines and playtimes provide rich opportunities for young children to learn. This blog explores practical and enjoyable ways that caregivers, families, and teachers can help children learn as they play and explore their world. View more blogs.
Perspectives on the Project Approach
View blogs by Lilian Katz, Sallee Beneke, or practicing early childhood directors. View more IEL blogs.
Learn More
Learning at Home Activities
Questions and Answers (Q&A)
The IEL staff has prepared a series of questions (and their answers!) on topics in early learning.
Resource Lists
These Resource Lists are related to popular topics and contain a wealth of information on early care and education.
Tool Kits
Our tool kits are designed to assist teachers and caregivers in their work with young children. The resources have been created as starting points for developing materials that address the individual needs of the children and families in their programs.
Faculty Resources
Search IEL Resources
Project Approach
Illinois Educators are invited to submit simple documentation of project work from their classrooms. IEL staff will help edit and publish your project! By sharing documentation of their experiences implementing the Project Approach, Illinois teachers can help each other learn new strategies and ideas for implementation.
Project Examples
Illinois Educators are invited to submit simple documentation of project work from their classrooms. IEL staff will help edit and publish your project! By sharing documentation of their experiences implementing the Project Approach, Illinois teachers can help each other learn new strategies and ideas for implementation.
Project Approach Tip Sheets
Perspectives on the Project Approach
View the most recent blog postings. View blogs by Lilian Katz, Sallee Beneke, or practicing early childhood directors.
Project Approach Resources
Infants and Toddlers (Birth To Age 3)
Teaching and Learning About Native Americans
Resource Lists
Approaches to Early Childhood Education
Questions and Answers (Q&A)
Nutrition for Young Children
Resource Lists
Supporting Children with Limited Verbal Skills
All Tip Sheets
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Graphic Tip Sheets
Supporting Children Who Experience Community Violence
Resource Lists
Collaborative Care: Teaming to Support Infants and Toddlers With Disabilities
Children with Disabilities and Developmental Delays
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Blogs
National Organizations
Resource Lists
Refugee Families
Resource Lists
Child Development
Tool Kits
What Is Autism?
Questions and Answers (Q&A)
Special Education and Inclusion in Early Care and Education
Resource Lists
What Is Assessment?
All Tip Sheets
LGBTQ+ for Educators
Resource Lists
Mindfulness for Educators
Resource Lists
Developmentally Appropriate Practice for Educators
Resource Lists
Friendships for Young Children
Tool Kits
Household Safety: Medications
Resource Lists
Helping Young Children Get Ready to Read
Tool Kits
Developmentally Appropriate Practice
Tool Kits
Illinois Early Learning Guidelines: Crosswalks and Alignments
IELG Resources
Illinois Early Learning Guidelines: Standards
IELG Resources
Developmentally Appropriate Practice 101
Questions and Answers (Q&A)
Families, Social-Emotional Learning, and the Pandemic
Podcast
Play
Tool Kits
Play Along: Following Your Child’s Interests at Home
Learning and Growing Together
,
Blogs
Early Intervention: Resources for Families, Childcare, and Early Childhood Teachers
Tool Kits
Caring for Children with Asthma
Resource Lists
Curiosity and Initiative
Early Learning Moments Videos
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IELG Resources
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Videos
Problem Solving
Videos
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Early Learning Moments Videos
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IELG Resources
Persistence, Effort, and Attentiveness
Early Learning Moments Videos
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IELG Resources
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Videos
Creativity, Inventiveness, and Imagination
Videos
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Early Learning Moments Videos
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IELG Resources
Confidence and Risk-Taking
Videos
,
Early Learning Moments Videos
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IELG Resources
Asthma: Easing the Wheezing
All Tip Sheets
Childcare During COVID-19: A Director’s Perspective
Podcast
Challenging Behaviors in Young Children
Tool Kits
Food Allergy Awareness
All Tip Sheets
Caring for Children with Food Allergies
Resource Lists
Free Professional Development Online for Early Childhood Educators
Resource Lists
Rolling with the Times: Updating Our Language
Children with Disabilities and Developmental Delays
,
Blogs
Selecting Useful Topics for Projects
Perspectives on the Project Approach
,
Blogs
Early Childhood Initiatives in Illinois
Resource Lists
Implementing the Project Approach in Inclusive Classrooms
Podcast
Early Intervention
Resource Lists
Illinois Organizations
Resource Lists
Childproofing Your Home
Resource Lists
Make a Mess and Explore STEAM
Tool Kits
Positive Guidance for Young Children: Be Thoughtful
Graphic Tip Sheets
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All Tip Sheets
Positive Guidance for Young Children: Take a Break and Calm Down
All Tip Sheets
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Graphic Tip Sheets
Positive Guidance for Young Children: Plan Ahead
All Tip Sheets
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Graphic Tip Sheets
Positive Guidance for Young Children: Be Consistent
All Tip Sheets
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Graphic Tip Sheets
Including Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities in Child Care
Podcast
An Introduction to Montessori Education
Podcast
Keeping Track of Important Information
All Tip Sheets
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Graphic Tip Sheets
Rights of Families Experiencing Homelessness
All Tip Sheets
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Graphic Tip Sheets
The Impact of Trauma on the Lives of Young Children (Part 2)
Podcast
The Impact of Trauma on the Lives of Young Children (Part 1)
Podcast
Directory of Supports for Families Experiencing Homelessness and Housing Insecurity
Tool Kits
Listening to Family Voices in Early Childhood Programs
Podcast
Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Math Is Everywhere
All Tip Sheets
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Graphic Tip Sheets
Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Music and Movement
All Tip Sheets
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Graphic Tip Sheets
Coaching Others in Implementing the Project Approach
Perspectives on the Project Approach
,
Blogs
The Newborn Period
Videos
,
Early Learning Moments Videos
,
IELG Resources
Self-Regulation: Foundation of Development
Videos
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Early Learning Moments Videos
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IELG Resources
Look What This Can Do!
Videos
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Parenting Videos
Solving the Shoe Puzzle
Videos
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Parenting Videos
Drumming in the Kitchen
Videos
,
Parenting Videos
Get Growing With Your Young Children
Learning and Growing Together
,
Blogs
Resources to Help Serve Dual Language Learners (DLLs)
Blogs
,
Culturally Responsive Practices
Peekaboo!
Videos
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Parenting Videos
Rounding Up the Cows
Videos
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Parenting Videos
Who Is in the Mirror?
Videos
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Parenting Videos
Sing Pío, Pío, Pío
Videos
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Parenting Videos
Explore the Visual Arts with Young Children
Resource Lists
What Can You Tell Me Baby?
Videos
,
Parenting Videos
Choose Good Books That Accurately Reflect Cultures and Home Languages
Blogs
,
Culturally Responsive Practices
Let’s Write a Grocery List
Videos
,
Parenting Videos
Toot, Honk, Splish
Videos
,
Parenting Videos
Keep Young Children Safe in the Car
All Tip Sheets
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Graphic Tip Sheets
Advocacy, Communication Important at Each Step of the Journey
Children with Disabilities and Developmental Delays
,
Blogs
Strategies for Developmentally Appropriate “Show and Tell” in Early Childhood Classrooms
Blogs
,
Learning and Growing Together
Explore STEAM with Young Children
Resource Lists
Cognitive Development
Videos
,
Early Learning Moments Videos
,
IELG Resources
Language Development, Communication, and Literacy
Videos
,
Early Learning Moments Videos
,
IELG Resources
Physical Development and Health: An Overview
Videos
,
Early Learning Moments Videos
,
IELG Resources
Household Safety: Poisons and Other Hazards
Resource Lists
Get Ready to Read
All Tip Sheets
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Graphic Tip Sheets
Five Things Children Gain from Puzzle Play
Learning and Growing Together
,
Blogs
Busy with Blocks
Learning and Growing Together
,
Blogs
Lead Poisoning Prevention
Resource Lists
Maintaining Home Language Is a Great Gift
Culturally Responsive Practices
,
Blogs
Transformative Early Childhood Education: An Interview with Dr. Kathleen Gallagher
Podcast
Try and Try Again
Learning and Growing Together
,
Blogs
Supporting Young Children’s Friendships: An Interview with Dr. Michaelene Ostrosky
Podcast
Guidelines Brochure
IELG Resources
Guidelines Poster
IELG Resources
Interactive Guidelines Flip Book
IELG Resources
Screens and Young Children
Resource Lists
Speech Development and Delays
Resource Lists
Young Children’s Mental Health
Resource Lists
Toddlers and Tantrums
Resource Lists
Supporting Children’s Social Development: Strategies for Parents and Caregivers
Resource Lists
Getting Ready for Preschool
Resource Lists
Imagination and Fantasy in Early Childhood
Resource Lists
Children’s Play – More than Fun and Games
Resource Lists
Communicating With Parents During Sensitive or Difficult Situations
Resource Lists
Preschoolers’ Fitness and Growth
Resource Lists
Appreciating the Natural World with Young Children
Resource Lists
Encouraging Literacy Development in Infants and Toddlers
Resource Lists
Bonding, Books, and Children
Resource Lists
Best Practices for Infant and Toddler Care
Resource Lists
Immunizations: What Parents and Caregivers Need to Know
Resource Lists
Father/Male Involvement in Early Childhood
Resource Lists
Sibling Relationships
Resource Lists
Saying ‘No’ to Your Child
Resource Lists
Family Mealtimes: Benefits for Child Well-Being
Resource Lists
Moving from Early Intervention to PreK: What Parents and Caregivers Want to Know
Resource Lists
Helping Young Children Resolve Conflicts
Resource Lists
Education and Parent Support for Families Experiencing Homelessness and Housing Insecurity
Resource Lists
Supporting Resilience in Children Exposed to Domestic Violence
Resource Lists
Challenging Behaviors
Resource Lists
Supporting Children with Autism in Child Care and at Home
Resource Lists
Tech Time! Video Games and Young Children with Disabilities
Children with Disabilities and Developmental Delays
,
Blogs
Feelings Are Fantastic (blog)
Learning and Growing Together
,
Blogs
Repeated Readings Can Build Literacy Skills
Culturally Responsive Practices
,
Blogs
Helping Children Develop “Impulse Control”
All Tip Sheets
Parallel Talk: A Simple Way to Provide English Vocabulary
Culturally Responsive Practices
,
Blogs
Tech Time for Young Children
All Tip Sheets
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Graphic Tip Sheets
Tech Time for Infants and Toddlers
All Tip Sheets
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Graphic Tip Sheets
You Made It
Videos
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Guidelines Videos
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IELG Resources
Two Trains
Guidelines Videos
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IELG Resources
,
Videos
A Tower Together
Videos
,
Guidelines Videos
,
IELG Resources
Tea Party
IELG Resources
,
Videos
,
Guidelines Videos
The Step
Videos
,
Guidelines Videos
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IELG Resources
Snack Time
Videos
,
Guidelines Videos
,
IELG Resources
Roll Them Up
Videos
,
Guidelines Videos
,
IELG Resources
Ready? Boing!
Videos
,
Guidelines Videos
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IELG Resources
Pretty Up High
Videos
,
Guidelines Videos
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IELG Resources
Press Here
Videos
,
Guidelines Videos
,
IELG Resources
Pea Pod Rockers
Videos
,
Guidelines Videos
,
IELG Resources
Over Here
Videos
,
Guidelines Videos
,
IELG Resources
Let’s Get Up
Videos
,
Guidelines Videos
,
IELG Resources
The Duck
Videos
,
Guidelines Videos
,
IELG Resources
I Don’t Like That
IELG Resources
,
Videos
,
Guidelines Videos
Filling the Trains
Videos
,
Guidelines Videos
,
IELG Resources
Happy, Happy
Videos
,
Guidelines Videos
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IELG Resources
Blue or Purple
Videos
,
Guidelines Videos
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IELG Resources
All Done
Videos
,
Guidelines Videos
,
IELG Resources
A Big Tower
IELG Resources
,
Videos
,
Guidelines Videos
Waylon and Grandpa: A Continuous Contingent Interaction
Videos
,
Parenting Videos
Toddlers and Boxes: “Hi! Hi!”
Videos
,
Parenting Videos
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